A Study of the Methodist Youth Movement

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Any duplication, reproduction, or modification of this material without express written consent from Asbury Theological Seminary and/or the original publisher is prohibited. Contact B.L. Fisher Library Asbury Theological Seminary 204 N. Lexington Ave. Wilmore, KY 40390 B.L. Fisher Library’s Digital Content place.asburyseminary.edu Asbury Theological Seminary 205 North Lexington Avenue 800.2ASBURY Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 asburyseminary.edu A ST'JDY OF THE METiiaDIST YOtmi KOVEHEHT A Th�0l� Presented to the Fsioulty ot tbe Depurtnent of Christian Education Asbury Theologioal Sevlaary In Partial Pulflllxnent of the Hequlreaents for the Degree Master of Rellglotit Eduoatlon by froy Sol laon August 1@57 TABLE <W OOBTEHTS CHAPTER PAOE I, THE PROBLES ASD DEPIHITIOKS OP TERMS V&W .... 1 The Problem .......... 1 StAtenent of the problem ..... 1 Importance of Study ....... 1 Definitions of Terms Used 1 Holy Club 1 Chautauqua Movement ... 2 The Unified Flan 2 The Correlated Plan 2 II. THE BACKGROUHD OP THE YOUTH HOVEMERT ...... 3 Early Historians S The Sunday Bohool Movement .. .. 4 Young Men* 8 Christian Assoolatlon ...... 5 Christian Endeavor ....... 9 Early Hfethodist Societies 12 Young People's Methodist Alliance ...... 12 The Oxford League 16 Young People's Christian Alliance ...... 20 The Methodist Young People's Union ..... 21 Methodist Episcopal Alliance . 22 III. THE EPWORTH LEAGUE 23 Need For Organisation ............. 23 Founding the Ipworth League .......... 24 ill OHAPTES PAGE The Colore 31 The Badge 31 The Motto 31 Sentiaients of the League .......... 31 First Meeting of the Board of Control .... 32 Looal Constitution 34 The Organ 37 Organisation of Chapters . 38 The League Calendar ............. 39 Quiet Hour Covenant 39 Epworth Bra Day 40 Fellowship Week . 40 Anniversary Day � 40 Eduoatlon Day 40 Mission Study Rally ..... 40 Bible Study Day r . 41 Changes That The Years Brought 41 The %�orth Wheel ............. 41 The Pledge ..... 41 Some Results . 41 Missionary Outreach 41 The League Overseas � ..... 41 Flexibility of the League 42 Iv CHAPfER PAGE IV. THE MlTH(a)IST YOUTH PELLGWEHIP 43 Fouiîng th� Fellowship ............ 43 The Emblen axA Colors ............ 44 The Motto 44 The Covenant ........ .... 44 The Intermediate Department �... � 44 The Church Program 46 Quallfioations For Leaders .......... 47 Leaders 47 Organization 46 Membership ..... 49 The Senior and Young People's Department .... 49 Flan I . 50 Plan II 50 The Four Commlsalons 51 Worship and Evangelism 51 Christian Witness 52 World Friendship 52 Community Servloe . 63 Times of Worship 54 Beyond the Looal Churoh 55 Seniors , 66 Older Youth 56 Subdlstrlot 56 CHAPTER PAGE DUtrlot 57 A^nu&l Conference ...�..��*.�. 57 The Jurladlotlen . ........ 58 The Hat tonal Conference 58 The Joint Staff 59 On the College Campus ........... 59 V. A COMPARATIVE STUDY 62 VI. OOHOLUSIOH 67 CHAPTER I ISTHODUCTION In 1889 the Methodltt (aiiucch for the first time formed an organisation of all Methodist youth. There had been many effioially recognised societies, but each ministered only to the youth In its area. Meed was felt for a society that would draw the young people together as a body. I. THE PROBLEM Statement of the problem. It was the purpose of this study to: (1) briefly study the youth movements preceding the Methodist Touth movement, {2) study more closely the Epworth League and the Methodist Youth Fellowship, (S) make a oomparative study of these organisations in regard to alma. Inqaortanee of the study . The youth of the church today will be the leaders of the church of tomorrow. The Methodist Chureh realised this and attempts have been made to prepare youth for this great task. This study deals with these efforts and their outcome. II. DEFINITIONS CP TSKMS USHJ The Holy Club. The Holy Club was the name given the religioxM group at Oxford University of itolch Charles and John Wesley were members. It was also given the name "Method- 2 Chautauqua Mpvaaant . This movament was an influential and aharaeteristloally American development in adult edu cation. It originated In 1874 with the first CSiautauqua assembly, held on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in the south west comer of Sew York state. It was instituted for the purpose of training Sunday sohool teachers. Dr. Vineent, the founder expected training classes in the local ehuroh to become universal. Hftille nmny were established the teadner training movement eventually and largely assumed the form of teachers' meetings for the study of next Sunday's Inter national Uniform Lessen. ê Unified Plan. The unified plan of the Methodist Youth Fellowship controls all activities of youth under one program with one set of officers. The youth belong to the Fellowship as a whole and not to separate departments or agencies. This is also referred to as Plan 1 in the Method ist Discipline. Correlated Plan. Under the correlated plan of the Methodist Fellowship, membership is maintained in separate departments and agencies which have their own set of officers and programs. All departments are oorrelated to meet the goals set up by the Council. 3 THE BA0KOR0U8D OP THE YOUTH MOVEMEHT Jenlsh historian, Josephua, tails In his writings that fro� th� days of Moses the young Jews assembled in their synagoges every Sabbath, not only to hear the law but to leam it oerreotly. This instruction of the young was so thorough, that, as Josephus expressed It, "If any one of us should be questioned eonoernlng the law, he could more easily give all of them than his own name."-^ Philo also wrote that the synagoge was a "real house of learning" and through them the Jews were Instructed In the law from early youth. The teaoher listened while the pupil questioned.^ This wmj have been the Bible sohool system among the Jews in Paleatlae at the time of Christ's birth. Similar sohoels were earrled on In the e�rly ohureh; and it is gener ally acknowledged that the successful propagation of the apostolic witness was largely due to the faithful adherence of Its successors to the devinely approached plan of child- rearing and ehild-teaohing. "The Apostolic ehuroh,** says Barron Brunsen, **made the school the connecting link between ^ Clarence H. Benson, The Sunday Sohool In Action (Chioago: Moody Press, 1044) pp. 13-14. ^ Ibid. 4 itself and the world, The negleot of the echoola by the dhuroh waa partly reaponiible for the dark ages. The Refor- Biation was a return to the teaching principle as well as the teaohlng material of the Apostles. The catechisms, iîch eharaeterl sed the separation from the church of ôme, were prepared primarily for the teaohlng minis tJ^r. In an attempt to step the triumph�nt progress of Protestantism, the counter oatholio educational nK>rement of the Jesuits, was only a return to the Apostolic sohool Idea.^ In this chapter will be pointed out how other education al and religious movements went before aiMl Influenced the Youth movement of the Methodist churoh. These movements will not be dealt with in detail. One of the moat isrportant movements for young people was of course the Sunday sohool movement, started by Robert Ralkes in the 18th oentxu^, for the purpose of reaching the children of the street. Many diuroh people opposed the Sunday school and felt that it was sacrilegious for these siôols to operate on the Sabbath. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church was closely identified with the movement, ^lle most of the clergymen this day were either hostile or indifferent to the movement, Wesley directed his preachers to form societies * Ibid. * Ibid. 5 within thw ooagregations wher� there were ten or more ohlldren.5 In 1790 ê Uethedlst oonferenoe in Charleston, South Carolina, gave recognition to the Sunday sdiool by the follow ing resolution: Let us labor as the heart and soul of one man to establish Sunday schools in or near the place of public werwhip. Let persons be appointed by bishops to teach all that will attend, and have capacity to learn, from �Ix o'clock in the morning until ten, and from two In the afternoon until six, where It does not interfere with pub lic worship. Be it further resolved that the oounoll should oorapile a proper sohool book to teach them learn ing and piety. 5 The tuooess of the Sunday Sohool was largely due to Its provision of aeoular as well as religious instzniotion by means of volunteer teachers.*^ THK YOONO SSES'S CRRISTIAli ASSOCIATIOS In lesi, in Boston, Massachusetts, Captain Thomas V. Sullivan a fifty-one year old sea captain, who had retired at the age of thirty-six to devote himself to religious work among seamen, organized the Young Men*s Christian Association In the United States. For a number of years he had served as chaplain for the American Bethel Booiety, working among sailors on the Oreat Lakes.

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